Mobile Version of Google Maps Releases New Features

The popularity of Google Maps is well-documented, and as more users are using the software on their phones (remember when you had to print maps before you left your home or office?), Google's recent updates includes a bunch of new mobile features.

1 minute read

May 8, 2014, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"El Goog is rolling out a bunch of improvements to its Maps apps for Android and iOS. Some of them are small improvements, and some of them are friggin' awesome," writes Brent Rose.

"Most significantly, when you're using Maps for turn-by-turn navigation, it will tell you which lane you should stay in (or move to), so you won't be surprised by suddenly having to make a left when you've been cruising in the far-right lane."

But maybe you don’t have a car and/or the idea of navigating the freeway at greater rates of speed sends chills up your spine. There are updates to Google Maps on iOS and Android for you too.

"If you're planning on taking public transportation you can add options like 'Depart at' to chose the time and date you want to leave. And for those of us who stay out late, there's even a 'last train home' feature. Or, if you're planning on searching for alternative ways home, Maps will now integrate data from Uber. You'll be able to compare the ride with transit and walking directions, and if you choose the Uber option, it will jump you right over to the Uber app (assuming you have it installed and it's available in your area)."

Thursday, May 8, 2014 in Gizmodo

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Flat modern glass office tower with "County of Santa Clara" sign.

Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing

The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.

May 23 - San Francisco Chronicle

Aerial view of dense urban center with lines indicating smart city concept.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant

A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

May 23 - Governing

Pale yellow Sears kit house with red tile roof in Sylva, North Carolina.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing

Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.

May 23 - The Daily Yonder